Cultural History Commons^™

Review Of Native America: A History By Michael Leroy Oberg, Roger L. Nichols

Great Plains Quarterly (through 2013)

In this solid text Michael Oberg presents his version of American Indian history. From the start he works to avoid presenting just another encyclopedic narrative likely to leave readers "awash in a sea of facts and data disconnected from any coherent narrative." To this end he focuses on how eleven Indigenous communities dealt with the European invasions of North America. His list includes groups as disparate as the Chumash and Pueblo peoples in the West, the Potawatomis and Dakota Sioux in the North, the Crows, Kiowas, and Caddos in the Plains, and Eastern peoples such as the Mohegans, Powhatans, Cherokees, …

Review Of "Collecting Stamps Would Have Been More Fun": Canadian Publishing And The Correspondence Of Sinclair Ross, 1933-1986 Selected And With An Introduction By Jordan Stouck; Annotations By David Stouck, Andrew Lesk

Great Plains Quarterly (through 2013)

A book not just for completists, the Stoucks' effort succeeds in illuminating the publishing record of one of Canada's most secretive authors. For those who have not read much criticism on Ross, this book will aid in understanding one very representative mid-twentieth-century Canadian author's publishing and artistic struggles.

Most striking is Jordan Stouck's note-perfect introduction, one that is academically rigorous yet free of jargon and platitudes. Stouck begins at, well, the beginning, in noting that Ross's As For Me and My House is "an originary text in western Canadian literature," although Ross himself "perceived his literary career as a failure." …

Review Of The Chosen Folks: Jews On The Frontiers Of Texas By Bryan Edward Stone, Scott M. Langston

Great Plains Quarterly (through 2013)

Bryan Stone's The Chosen Folks deserves widespread appeal. Those interested in Jewish studies, Texas history, and immigration will certainly find it a useful analysis. What's more, those concerned with the frontier-where Jewish, Texan, immigrant, and other identities intertwine, influence, and define each other-will especially benefit. Stone aptly applies the modern reconceptualization of the frontier to describe the experiences of Jews-"the quintessential frontierspeople"-in Texas, "a quintessential frontier."

Throughout the book Stone uses the frontier to organize and interpret the Texas Jewish experience. For example, the Republic of Texas's location on a geographic frontier allowed Jews to develop an interior frontier wherein …

Review Of Painting Indians And Building Empires In North America, 1710-1840 By William H. Truettner, John Hausdoerffer

Great Plains Quarterly (through 2013)

Just when the problematic relationship between Indian portraits and the cultural politics of nineteenth- century America seemed thoroughly explored, William Truettner's new book adds vital detail to our understanding of "portrait diplomacy" and "artistic imperialism." Truettner opens with an insightful distinction between the "Noble Savage" of eighteenth-century British artists and the "Republican Indian" of artists in nineteenth-century America. British "Noble Savage" imagery depicted Mohawks as a "sovereign people" and as "visiting royalty." Truettner shows how artists such as William Hodges, Thomas Hardy, and Benjamin West portrayed Indian leaders as both active in the future of colonial politics and comfortable with …

Review Of Cather Studies 8: Willa Cather: A Writer's Worlds Edited By John J. Murphy, Francoise Palleau-Papin, And Robert Thacker, Derek Driedger

Great Plains Quarterly (through 2013)

Cather Studies continues to assemble and inspire the most well-informed writing on Willa Cather's life and literature. The twenty-three essays in this volume further elevate Cather's reputation for meticulous attention to detail when presenting various cultures in her fiction. As the collection derives from the 2007 International Cather Seminar cohosted in Paris and Abbey St. Michel de Frigolet, essays regularly draw from French history, including the period spanning from Cather's first visit in 1902 through World War I. Consequently, the most analyzed novel is One of Ours (1922), yet The Professor's House (1925), Death Comes for the Archbishop (1927), and …

New Deal Experimentation And The Political Economy Of The Yankton Sioux, 1930-1934, Teresa M. Houser

Great Plains Quarterly (through 2013)

Franklin Delano Roosevelt's election to the presidency in 1932 signaled a mandate for sweeping reform at the federal level to lift the nation out of the economic turbulence of the Great Depression. Under Commissioner of Indian Affairs John Collier, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) joined other agencies in launching policies to rebuild economic stability. Much of the scholarship on the Indian New Deal to date necessarily focuses on the centerpiece of Collier's reform efforts: the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA). But prior to tribal consideration of the IRA, the Roosevelt administration undertook a series of steps in an attempt to …

Great Plains Quarterly Volume 31/Number 3/ Summer 2011

Great Plains Quarterly (through 2013)

Contents

Book Reviews

Book Notes

Notes and News

Immigration To The Great Plains, 1865-1914 War, Politics, Technology, And Economic Development, Bruce Garver

Great Plains Quarterly (through 2013)

The advent and vast extent of immigration to the Great Plains states during the years 1865 to 1914 is perhaps best understood in light of the new international context that emerged during the 1860s in the aftermath of six large wars whose consequences included the enlargement of civil liberties, an acceleration of economic growth and technological innovation, the expansion of world markets, and the advent of mass immigration to the United States from east-central and southern Europe.1 Facilitating all of these changes was the achievement of widespread literacy through universal, free, compulsory, and state-funded elementary education in the United States, …

Transcript Of The Quality Of Life In Pacific City, Ronald M. Kellow

All Story Transcripts

This story is an excerpt from a longer interview that was collected as part of the Launching through the Surf: The Dory Fleet of Pacific City project. In this story, Ron Kellow discusses the history of his family in the area and describes the quality of life offered by Pacific City.

Transcript Of A Fish Story Of Fish Stories, Michael W. Cellers

All Story Transcripts

This story is an excerpt from a longer interview that was collected as part of the Launching through the Surf: The Dory Fleet of Pacific City project. In this story, Mike Cellers recounts a call from his friend Steve Rice asking for assistance with getting salmon to shore. With a few twists, the tale turns to great bottom fishing despite a disabled dory in need of a tow.

Glorious Fourth: Gettysburg's Joyful Holiday, 1861, John M. Rudy

Interpreting the Civil War: Connecting the Civil War to the American Public

Samuel J. Vandersloot, a 25 year old Gettysburg attorney, enlisted as a private the 2nd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment on April 20th, 1861. Less than a month after he and his comrades published their paper, on the 26th of July Vandersloot was mustered from service at Harrisburg. Five days before, the Army of Northeastern Virginia had its nose bloodied at Manassas. Picnickers, keen on sightseeing and eager to witness the one great battle of the war became entangled on the roads among the retreating Federal forces. Civilian and soldier alike became prey to the advancing rebel forces, some captured and sent …

Transcript Of The Whale Sighting, Robert A. Royster

All Story Transcripts

This story is an excerpt from a longer interview that was collected as part of the Launching through the Surf: The Dory Fleet of Pacific City project. In this story, Rob Royster recounts sighting a whale while dory fishing.

Transcript Of Saving Greenhorns, David L. Stiles

All Story Transcripts

This story is an excerpt from a longer interview that was collected as part of the Launching through the Surf: The Dory Fleet of Pacific City project. In this story, Captain David Stiles recounts the experience of pulling a novice fisherman and his dory out of the surf.

Transcript Of A Rough Landing With My Grandpa, Terri Stiles

All Story Transcripts

This story is an excerpt from a longer interview that was collected as part of the Launching through the Surf: The Dory Fleet of Pacific City project. In this story, Terri Stiles recounts a memorable rough landing in her grandpa Gil Siler’s dory, the Noaloa.

Transcript Of Why I Became A Dory Charter Captain, David L. Stiles

All Story Transcripts

This story is an excerpt from a longer interview that was collected as part of the Launching through the Surf: The Dory Fleet of Pacific City project. In this story, Captain Dave Stiles of Eagle Charters explains his motivation for opening a dory charter business.

Locks And Cash: Whose Black History? (Part 1), John M. Rudy

Interpreting the Civil War: Connecting the Civil War to the American Public

The African-American Civil War Memorial has been a favorite site of mine in DC (and not simply because it's just down the block from the District's best restaurant, Ben's Chili Bowl). It is a monument in the right setting. Instead of being on the mall with the rest of the other monuments, to be easily overlooked like the DC World War I memorial or similar sidelights to the big three of Lincoln, Washington and Vietnam, the African American Civil War Memorial is in a community that can be moved by it. [excerpt]

Transcript Of Landing In A Rough Surf, Sidney Fisher

All Story Transcripts

This story is an excerpt from a longer interview that was collected as part of the Launching through the Surf: The Dory Fleet of Pacific City project. In this story, Sid Fisher describes the experience of landing his dory on the beach in a particularly rough surf.

Transcript Of My Father’S Heroics, Sidney Fisher

All Story Transcripts

This story is an excerpt from a longer interview that was collected as part of the Launching through the Surf: The Dory Fleet of Pacific City project. In this story, Sid Fisher recounts how his father, Walt Fisher, saved him from rolling his dory.

"...Sexual Relations With That Woman...": Why The Lee Quote Is Still Valid, John M. Rudy

Interpreting the Civil War: Connecting the Civil War to the American Public

A quick reflection this week. This started as a comment on Brooks Simpson's comments on Colin Woodward's blog post at his new blog civilwarhistorian highlighting a quote he found in a Massachusetts newspaper. Whew... now that that's out of the way.

The validity of the quote has been called into question, and seemingly thereby its usefulness to the historian. But I object to consigning this tidbit to the dustbin of history. [excerpt]

Interpreting Beyond The Battles: Could We Start With The Klan?, John M. Rudy

Interpreting the Civil War: Connecting the Civil War to the American Public

In 1925, the Pennsylvania Klan held its annual convention in Gettysburg in September. The Times called the Klan's parade through town a, "gorgeous display," and a, "monster procession." The Times headline trumpeted that, "vary-colored robes, capes and gowns present spectacle as Knights, Klanswomen and Junior Members march under warm September sun before large crowds along sidewalks." [excerpt]